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Surah 49. Al-Hujurat, Ayah 14

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قَالَتِ ٱلْأَعْرَابُ ءَامَنَّا ۖ قُل لَّمْ تُؤْمِنُوا۟ وَلَـٰكِن قُولُوٓا۟ أَسْلَمْنَا وَلَمَّا يَدْخُلِ ٱلْإِيمَـٰنُ فِى قُلُوبِكُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ لَا يَلِتْكُم مِّنْ أَعْمَـٰلِكُمْ شَيْـًٔا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Q a lati alaAAr a bu a mann a qul lam tuminoo wal a kin qooloo aslamn a walamm a yadkhuli aleem a nu fee quloobikum wain tu t eeAAoo All a ha warasoolahu l a yalitkum min aAAm a likum shayan inna All a ha ghafoorun ra h eem un
THE BEDOUIN say, "We have attained to faith." Say [unto them, O Muhammad]: "You have not [yet] attained to faith; you should [rather] say, 'We have [outwardly] surrendered' - for [true] faith has not yet entered your hearts.17 But if you [truly] pay heed unto God and His Apostle, He will not let the least of your deeds18 go to waste: for, behold, God is much-forgiving, a dispenser of grace."
  - Mohammad Asad

Inasmuch as this is evidently an allusion to the intense tribalism of the bedouin and their "pride of descent" (Razi), the above verse connects with the preceding condemnation of all tribal preferences and prejudices, and with the call for their abandonment as a prerequisite of true faith. Primarily, this relates to the bedouin contemporaries of the Prophet, but its import is general and timeless.

I.e., "your own deeds, in distinction from the supposed 'glorious deeds' of your ancestors, which count for nothing in His sight".

The beduin Arabs say: "We have believed." Tell them: "You have not believed; rather say 'We have become Muslims;' for faith has not yet found its way into your hearts. If you obey Allah and His Rasool, He will not deny you the reward of your deeds; surely Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."
  - Muhammad Farooq-i-Azam Malik
'Some of' the nomadic Arabs say, 'We believe.' Say, 'O Prophet,' 'You have not believed. But say, 'We have submitted,' for faith has not yet entered your hearts.1 But if you obey Allah and His Messenger 'wholeheartedly', He will not discount anything from 'the reward of' your deeds. Allah is truly All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'
  - Mustafa Khattab

 The verse makes a distinction between Islam (the declaration of accepting the faith, then performing Islamic duties such as prayers and fasting) and Îmân (a higher state of Islam, which means to embrace the faith wholeheartedly). This distinction is very clear in a famous narration from the Prophet (ﷺ), commonly known as the Ḥadîth of Gabriel.

The wandering Arabs say: We believe. Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Ye believe not, but rather say "We submit," for the faith hath not yet entered into your hearts. Yet, if ye obey Allah and His messenger, He will not withhold from you aught of (the reward of) your deeds. Lo! Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.
  - Marmaduke Pickthall
The desert Arabs say "We believe." Say "Ye have no faith; but ye (only) say `We have submitted our wills to Allah.' For not yet has Faith entered your hearts. But if ye obey Allah and His Apostle He will not belittle aught of your deeds: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving Most Merciful." 4934 4935
  - Abdullah Yusuf Ali

'This is what ye ought to prove if your faith has any meaning, but ye only say it with your tongues.'

The desert Arabs were somewhat shaky in their faith. Their hearts and minds were petty, and they thought of petty things, while Islam requires the complete submission of one's being to Allah. See next verse. Some of the failings of the desert Arabs are described in xlviii. 11-15. But the reference here is said to be to the Banu Asad, who came to profess Islam in order to get charity during a famine.

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